


The Padawan, the Pirate, and the Princess

by Pixie (magnetgirl)



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-20
Updated: 2018-07-20
Packaged: 2019-06-13 12:40:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15364911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magnetgirl/pseuds/Pixie
Summary: Kira, Kasidy and Keiko grow up in a galaxy far, far away





	The Padawan, the Pirate, and the Princess

**Author's Note:**

> Written for sathyanna for the [SapphicStarTrek Fanworks Exchange](https://sapphicstartrek.tumblr.com/tagged/fanwork-exchange-2018), prompt: _Kira/Kasidy/Keiko or any two of these three, jedi AU_

Kira Nerys was born into poverty. Bajor is outside the Republic, and with limited natural resources not even criminals pay it much mind. There are the Cardassians -- militants, separatists, secret slavers -- but their loyalties drift with the wind, which keeps them in power, but not powerful. Nerys lived in a labor camp, surrounded by dust and destined to die young.

Kasidy Yates was born into adventure. Two days old, her pirate mother strapped her to her chest and went back to work. Kasidy learned to fly before she learned to run and her vocabulary was shaped by negotiation. Her mother was a low level, but trusted and successful, member of Hondo Ohnaka's crew and Kasidy grew up in space, surrounded by stars. 

Keiko Ishikawa was born into extravagance. Her father was a representative in the Galactic Senate, new to his title at the time, and hardly a power player, but their planet was wealthy and Keiko wanted for nothing. Well, nothing material, she lacked in companionship. Her closest, and really only, friend was Data, the state of the line protocol droid assigned to her care. The two spent most of their time in the expansive gardens of the Ishikawas' government estate. It was like a fairy tale. 

* * *

Master Odo found her when she was five years old.

He landed on Bajor by happenstance, or so he thought before he saw her. After, he knew, the Force guided him to this girl. Barely scraping by, on a world ignored by all authorities, but even in the harsh sun and monotony she practically glowed with potential.

"Hello."

Her eyes narrowed, wary, tiny body trembling to even be noticed, and his resolve to save her hardened.

"I'm Odo."

She called his name funny and his face funnier, but she returned every day for a week to listen to his stories. He told her of silver cities and faraway stars, the ancient order of knights who protected the galaxy, and their students, children like her. He told her she'd learn with them, and when she was ready, he'd come for her and teach her everything and then-

"You'll be a Jedi, like me."

Nerys had watched many starships come and go but they never took people like her. They'd taken her mother, because she was pretty, and that day she vowed to never be pretty. But Odo told her she was clever. Odo wanted to train her to fight. And all she had to do was fly away and not look back.

"Where will we go?" she asked, slipping her hand into his as they walked to his ship.

"Across the stars," he promised.

* * *

She was ten and in command.

Hondo Ohnaka doesn't accept excuses. They started the run with a hold full of treasures and if they didn't deliver, he'd own them. He'd own _her_ , even if she was the only one left. Even if she was the only one left because her mother died in a bar fight. She might have been looking for a better offer, and it might have gotten her killed. Kasidy didn't know the details. She just knew her mother was dead and now she was in charge of delivering her hold full of treasures to the pirate -- or else.

"You brought this. . ." He paused to peer into her defiant eyes. "Alone?"

Kasidy nodded, shoulders squared, chin high. Her stomach might be doing gymnastics but there was no way she was gonna let him see.

A wide grin spread across Hondo's face and he dropped an arm across her wiry frame.

"Welcome home Captain Yates," he boomed, and snapped for a toast to his latest recruit.

* * *

Keiko lived a sheltered life until she was fifteen.

Her planet was beautiful, but boring. It was safely nestled among the inner planets of the Republic. But while the Senate was focused on the years long trial of Nute Gunray following the siege of Naboo, his allies started to gather forces. Senator Ishikawa was targeted for being friendly to the new Chancellor and his daughter would make a pretty prize. The family appealed to the Jedi Order for protection. Master Odo and his padawan Nerys were assigned to escort Keiko to safety. Coruscant was a short hyperflight away, but they traveled commercially to avoid drawing attention. If she'd remained in her cabin the whole trip, as Master Odo urged, she might have remained sheltered. Instead,

"Stay down." Hand on her lightsaber hilt, Nerys stepped in front of Keiko and her droid, between the girl and the pirates. But Keiko leaned closer to peer over Kira's shoulder. She was terrible at taking orders, particularly when something exciting was happening, and nothing was more exciting than a raid. "What are doing? I said stay down!"

"I want to see," Keiko argued. "Is that a real pirate? She's our age!"

"Get  _down_!" Nerys turned, placed both hands on Keiko's shoulders and pushed her back behind the bar they'd dove into when the alarms sounded. "She's probably here for you."

"No one's supposed to know we're here."

"No one's ever supposed to know we're here," Nerys replied, weary, "And someone always does."

"Have you been in lots of fire fights?" Keiko asked, an entirely too eager smile on her face. 

"Too many." She glanced behind Keiko to address her droid. "Do you know how to use a blaster?"

Data nodded. "As part of my bodyguard setting." Kira passed him a gun.

"What about me?"

Nerys bit back a laugh. "You know how to shoot?"

"Data taught me," Keiko explained. "I've only ever hit plants but I'm a good shot."

Kira looked skeptical. "Plants don't move around. Or shoot back."

"What's the worst that could happen?"

"You hit me."

Keiko rolled her eyes. "I won't." She grasped Kira's hand in hers. "I promise."

Nerys looked at her hand, held tightly in Keiko's smaller ones. The girl's skin was so soft, and cool, and she felt something stir in her belly. She drew back, startled, and afraid. 

"Here." She shoved a second blaster into Keiko's hands. "But follow my lead." 

Keiko nodded. Kira peered into the room, noted that most of the pirates had moved on, and signaled for Keiko and Data to follow her. The three crept out into the open, weapons drawn, staying low to the ground. If they could make it to the hanger they could borrow a lightship. They just had to cross the hall. 

"Stop right there, princess."

Nerys swore as Keiko froze. They turned to find the pirate girl, guns drawn, the men Nerys had thought gone blinking into position -- some kind of stealth tech. They were surrounded. The jedi and the droid moved to cover Keiko but she pushed past. 

"I said stop," Kasidy ordered.

"She doesn't listen," Nerys answered, trying to pull Keiko back to her side, and failing that, following her to Kasidy's. 

"I want to parley." 

Nerys groaned. Kasidy laughed.

"You're worth a month's work, girl." 

"I'm priceless," Keiko countered, head held high. "But wouldn't you rather have something you can sell?"

"Trade Federation wants you."

"No. They want my father."

"And you're how they get him," Kasidy argued. 

Keiko shook her head. "Kidnap me and my father's useless. I'm his only daughter, his crown jewel. He'll do anything to get me back."

"Yah," Kasidy agreed, with a confused frown. "That's the point."

"The Chancellor knows that," Keiko explained. "He'll remove my father from his inner circle, find someone with no family to take his place. It will ruin my father, possibly my whole planet, and you'll gain nothing."

Kasidy shrugged. "Federation may gain nothing but  _I'll_ get a big payout first. I'm not in this for the politics. I just want to be paid."

Kira glared. "She just said it could ruin her planet!"

"Not because of  _me_ ," Kasidy answered. "If losing favor with one old man can ruin a whole civilization there's something really wrong with how the galaxy is run."

Keiko glanced between the pirate and the jedi. "Listen, I have a way to keep me and my planet safe  _and_ get you paid."

Kasidy shook her head but waved for her to explain. Keiko detailed her idea: she'd be the pirate's inside man, leaking them the itinerary of every extravagant pleasure cruise the higher ups in the Senate planned. And because no one would suspect a Senator's daughter, she could get into the security room, turn off the shielding on the hold and allow the pirates to abscond with their treasure without any show of force. To prove herself, she lead Kasidy's team to a secret room of artifacts separate from the hold they'd already emptied.

"Well. I have to admit I'm impressed."

Keiko grinned but Nerys pulled her away in a frenzy. 

"You can't give away Republic property! This is crossing close to  _treason_."

"None of this belongs to the government," Keiko countered. "And nobody needs it. I'm redistributing wealth across the galaxy."

Kira's eyes grew dark. "You can't be that naive. You really think pirates are going to use their money to help people?"

Keiko crossed her arms. "Don't be so cynical. People turn to piracy because they have no other choice."

"So maybe their organization will be saved. Their  _criminal_ organization."

"If you really believe the Senate _isn't_ a legitimized criminal organization, I'm not the naive one."

Nerys stared. Keiko pursed her lips.

"Where are you from?"

"I'm a jedi." Her planet didn't matter, she belonged to the galaxy.

"No, before that. Where do you come from?"

Nerys glanced away. "Bajor," she answered, quiet, tentative, sad. 

"I'll add that to the deal."

Nerys looked up sharply. "What?" But Keiko was already returning to Kasidy. 

"I think I'll enjoy being in business with you, princess." 

"Good. I have one more stipulation." Kasidy raised an eyebrow. "You have to give ten percent of the haul to Bajor."

" _Bajor_?" Kasidy repeated. "The dust ball in the outer rim?" Keiko nodded. "...Why?"

"Retribution."

Nerys's eyes went wide, but she couldn't find her voice. Kasidy laughed.

"You're an odd one, princess. But I like you."

They shook hands and Kasidy returned to directing her crew. Keiko stepped back to Kira's side. 

"How did you... How do you know so much about..." Nerys opened her hands to encompass the scene before them. 

Keiko smiled. "I read a lot."

Nerys shook her head. "How did you know she would go for it?"

Keiko's smile grew wider as she turned to grasp Kira's hand. "I know my worth."

* * *

They were already in love. But it took five years to admit it.

Nerys wasn't allowed to pursue a romance. A fling, maybe, but she didn't want a fling. And it wouldn't be one anyway. She was already completely attached to Keiko, even if it was wrong. 

Keiko helped Kasidy become one of the most successful pirates in the galaxy, built up her legend and soon enough she wasn't working for Hondo, she was one of his rivals -- and he didn't even mind, because any job she couldn't complete she sent his way. Keiko imposed a lot of rules: no kidnapping, no prisoners, any slaves were to be freed, and at least ten percent of every job was sent to a needy planet on the outer rim. She couldn't regulate what they did with it, and not every criminal was as open-minded as Kasidy, but it was more than the Senate ever did. 

The pirate and the princess had a healthy, open relationship. They had fun together, but even though they never discussed it, they both knew Keiko was waiting for Nerys. Still, when it happened, Keiko argued. 

"You don't mean that," she told her Jedi Protector when she confessed her love.

"I do," Nerys answered. "I love you. I want to be with you."

"More than you want to be a jedi?"

"Yes."

Tears sprung up in Keiko's eyes, but she shook her head. "No..."

" _Yes_ ," Nerys said again. "Odo is an inspector. He's taught me well and I can use those skills even without the Order."

"But...how do you know..."

"I've known for five years. I was just afraid to say it out loud."

She raised a hand to stroke Keiko's cheek. Tears fell on her fingers. 

"I won't let you give up your future for me."

Nerys smiled, shaking her head. "Keiko... you _are_ my future. You're the only future I want."

She drew Keiko close, pressing their lips together. The kiss was tear strained, hungry, passionate -- and right. When they broke apart, Nerys pulled a small knife from her belt and cut off her padawan braid. She tucked braid and knife back in her pocket and stood back to gaze at Keiko. She was so beautiful.

"What will you do?" Keiko whispered.

"I have to tell Odo and the council, and turn in my lightsaber." 

"I'm sorry..."

"I'm not."

Keiko grasped her hand, kissed her fingers. 

"You may feel differently when you realize you have nothing."

Nerys shook her head. "I'll have everything I want."

"But what will you do?" Keiko asked again, worried eyes searching Kira's. She was concerned Nerys hadn't thought this through. Yes, she'd have skills, but who would hire a disgraced jedi? Only criminals who wanted to use her. 

But Nerys grinned. "I know a girl."

* * *

Five years after Nerys left the Order, the Jedi were wiped out attempting a coup against the Chancellor. At least that's the story. Nerys didn't believe it for a second. Keiko had been right all along. The real criminals were the ones in power, now they were just done hiding. 

And now Kasidy, Keiko, and Nerys were rebels. 


End file.
